2016 Press-Telegram Boys Soccer Dream Team; Bryan Ortega named Player of the Year

PLAYER OF THE YEAR: BRYAN ORTEGA, JUNIOR, PARAMOUNT

Bryan Ortega is a natural. He didn’t grow up playing elite club soccer or training in the Olympic Developmental Program. The Paramount High School forward just seems to have a feel for soccer that transcends skill or scheme.

“He’s special,” Paramount coach Rafa Villasenor said. “He’s the heart and soul of our team. Other teams try to key on him and that just gets other guys open. He’s good enough to make them pay for that.”

Ortega had 12 goals and a team-high 24 assists this season to help lead the Pirates (20-2-3) to a San Gabriel Valley League title and the No. 1 seed in the CIF Southe Section Division 1 playoffs. He had multiple assists in six different games this year, including all three assists in wins over Los Alamitos and Suyside and both assists in a disappointing 3-2 loss to Santa Barbara in the playoffs. Ortega had 11 goals and 14 assists as a junior.

“When we practice, we’re not working on ourselves, we’re trying to make the team better,” Ortega said. “And we practice a lot.”

“When I get the ball, sometimes I already know where (Ortega) is going before he makes his run,” teammate Oscar Canela said. “Sometimes it’s hard to not stand and watch him.”

Ortega, who lists UCLA as his dream school, says his No. 1 goal right now is to win a CIF-SS title. After back-to-back disappointing exits from the playoffs, Ortega will have plenty of motivation in the offseason to came back better than ever next season.

COACH OF THE YEAR: CHRIS LARIOS, JORDAN

The Jordan program was steadily improving three years ago when girls coach Chris Larios also took over the boys program.

The players were understandably skeptical of Larios, but he quickly won them over with hard work, dedication and positive results. Jordan has won more games each year for Larios; 18 this season.

“Obviously we quickly found out he’s a very good coach,” Jordan senior Nick Vazquez said. “He’s always ready to work hard with us and we know he’s dedicated. If we don’t have a field to train on he’ll find something for us like playing a little indoor game in a classroom or ruing around the campus.”

Larios instilled a relentless high-pressure style. With impressive technical skill and organization building over the last three years, the Panthers hit a high-water mark and reached the CIF-SS Division 2 championship for the first time since 1995. They lost to Suy Hills in overtime.

“We’re right were we should be,” Larios said. “Toughness changed the culture at Jordan.”

FIRST TEAM

Adrian Martinez, Junior, Jordan

Aror Rudich, Senior, Los Alamitos

Christian Pinzon, Junior, Bellflower

Clay D’Amico, Junior, Valley Christian

Advertisement

Day Martinez, Senior, Paramount

Edgar Gonzalez, Senior, Cabrillo

Freddie Figueroa, Senior, Jordan

Julian Guerrero, Senior, Los Alamitos

Marcos Garcia, Senior, St. John Bosco

Nicolas Vazquez, Senior, Jordan

Noel Moncada, Sophomore, Millikan

Oscar Canela, Senior, Paramount

Richard Garcia, Senior, Warren

Saul Ocampo, Senior, Artesia

Sergio Flores, Senior, Warren

SECOND TEAM

Alec Lazar, Senior, Los Alamitos

Angel Gomez, Senior, Cabrillo

Brendan Mcdaid, Sophomore, St. Anthony

Bryan Zamora, Senior, St. Anthony

Derek Ramos, Senior, Wilson

Fabian Medina, Senior, Warren

Francisco Sierra, Junior, Artesia

Ivan Becerra, Senior, Millikan

Jazer Carrillo, Senior, Bellflower

Kevin Herring, Senior, Los Alamitos

Klay Solomon, Senior, Valley Christian

Manolo Cevallos, Senior, Cerritos

Matt Proost, Senior, St. John Bosco

Ruben Ortiz, Senior, Cabrillo

LEAGUE CHAMPIONS

Moore League: Cabrillo

Suburban League: Bellflower

San Gabriel Valley League: Paramount

Sunset League: Los Alamitos

Olympic League: Valley Christian, Maranatha